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As a completely student run program, the Earlham College Stables Cooperative is a unique community. The Cooperative includes members of the Earlham and Richmond communities who come from a variety of equine backgrounds, ranging from a lifetime of horse-involvement to absolutely none. The cooperative maintains the facility, operates a lesson program, and cares for Earlham's school horses as well as the student owned horses living at the facility. As a group, we work to ensure that everyone feels welcome and has an opportunity to grow with respect to horsemanship in an environment that is safe for all horses and humans involved.
There are three main groups of people in the EC Stables Cooperative; please click on the link for more information about each group. Barn Staff is a group of five Barn Cooperative members who serve as the stable's management. Instructors are the Co-op members who are responsible for overseeing all work shifts and for teaching the lessons in our lesson program. Assistants are Co-op members who are in their first two semesters of the program.
Each member of the Cooperative must contribute four hours of barn work a week, either in the form of work shifts (occurring daily from 6-8am and 4-6pm) or in the instruction of a lesson. Members must also attend the Co-op meeting each Monday night. In exchange for a member's contribution to the co-op, he or she is given riding privileges with the Earlham school horses. For more information on how to become involved, please contact the Barn Correspondent!
The Barn Staff oversees the general management of the facility and operates as a liaison between the Barn Cooperative and the College administration. Barn Staff members are appointed by the previous Barn Staff, with input from the Co-op, at the end of each fall semester. Co-op members are encouraged to share any questions, comments, suggestions or concerns with Barn Staff.
Barn Manager: The Barn Manager oversees the general management of the facility, horses and cooperative by working closely with its members and the College administration.
Horse Care Manager: The Horse Care Manager oversees the general health and maintains the care of the Earlham school horses, working closely with the veterinarian and farrier.
Barn Director: The Barn Director oversees the program's budget, contracts with grain and hay suppliers, bills boarders, and consults with the accounting staff of the College.
Barn Correspondent: The Barn Correspondent promotes public relations, giving tours of the barn, documenting Co-op meetings, and communicating with our alumni group (Friends of Earlham College Stables).
Lesson Coordinator: The Lesson Coordinator schedules work times and lesson times for Co-op members and lesson students, working closely with the registrar and the Wellness department.
Instructors are Co-op members who have been in the program for at least a year and who have completed the Riding Assistants Courses I and II. These members are responsible for overseeing work shifts and teaching the lessons in the AWPE (Wellness) program. Instructors have the privilege of riding the Earlham school horses at their leisure and may bring friends from outside the program to ride as well. Instructors can receive 1 AWPE credit per semester. There is no fee for being involved in the Co-op as an Instructor. Total time of an Instructor's barn duties is 5 hours/week.
Assistants are Co-op members who have been in the program for less than a year and are currently taking either Riding Assistant's Course I or II. These courses are designed to introduce new members to the program, as well as provide basic horse knowledge and prepare Assistants to become Instructors. There is a fee of $70 for Riding Assistant's Courses I and II. Total time for an Assistant's barn responsibilities is 7 hours/week.
In addition to the weekly work shift and Monday night meetings, Assistants have a two hour lab once a week, which includes minimal work outside of the class. As part of the Assistant's Course, Assistants take a riding lesson one semester and assist an Instructor in teaching a lesson the other semester. First semester Assistants may ride the Earlham school horses in the presence of an Instructor. Second semester Assistants may ride the Earlham school horses in the presence of another Assistant. Once an Assistant has taken (and passed) both of these courses, he or she becomes an Instructor.
